_WHAT’S HAPPENING_
Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of roughly 1.4 billion Catholics, released his first encyclical on May 25, titled Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.
The document addresses artificial intelligence through the lens of Catholic social teaching, warning that AI is not morally neutral and must be ordered toward human dignity rather than pure efficiency and profit. In an unexpected move, the pope personally attended the Vatican presentation, where speakers included Christopher Olah, co-founder of major AI company Anthropic.
The pope used striking biblical references to draw comparisons about how AI development can proceed: the Tower of Babel to illustrate the devious path ahead, versus Nehemiah’s rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem as a more desirable approach.
_THE FACTS_
Magnifica Humanitas was released exactly 135 years after Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum on the dignity of the worker.
Christopher Olah, the co-founder of Anthropic, spoke at the presentation despite his company's recent prohibition on the Department of War using its software for military purposes.
The pope deemed that AI should be "disarmed," stating the strong word was "deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention."
He warned that AI algorithms can block access to healthcare, employment, and security based on data "tainted by prejudice and injustice."
Drawing on the Tower of Babel, the encyclical warns against an AI revolution led by powerful elites who prioritize power and profit over the good of the human person.
It then contrasts with Nehemiah's rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, symbolizing the right path of technological development guided by God and focused on pursuing the common good.
The pope argues that the Church cannot remain neutral on economic and social questions because they affect the moral and spiritual well-being of society.
He warns against the “normalization of war,” AI-powered weapons that can escape beyond man’s control, and a “technocratic paradigm” that degrades the dignity of the person in favor of technological and economic growth for its own sake.
_OUR TAKE_
The purpose of Magnifica Humanitas is to help shape our consciences as AI continues to advance and as problems arise that directly challenge man’s dignity. AI-powered weapons, the reshaping and possible elimination of jobs, and the ability to rob man of his reason are just some of the threats on the horizon.
However, the pope is not a Luddite, calling for the technology to be smashed and destroyed. The encyclical insists on following Nehemiah’s example: after Jerusalem was destroyed and its people exiled, Nehemiah returned to rebuild the Holy City.
Where the Tower of Babel shows us the dangers of advancing technology for the sake of human pride, Nehemiah shows how to succeed when the burden of meaningful work is shared among people for the sake of the common good, and most importantly, ensuring the divine will is paramount.
